The use of automated sliding doors as part of a motor vehicle, entry or exit to a building, and the like, is known. Such sliding doors typically close automatically when a predefined condition is met. For example, detection of lack of movement by a motion sensor at an entry or exit doorway can afford for one or more sliding doors to move in a closing direction. In addition, a sliding door of a motor vehicle can be mechanically closed by activation of a switch.
In most instances, a sensor affords for the sliding door to reverse its closing motion when an object is located near or within a closing path of the door. For example, a touch sensor assembly can be located at a leading edge of the sliding door such that if an object comes into contact with the touch sensor assembly, a signal is provided to a controller and the controller can direct the sliding door to stop and/or reverse its movement.
Sliding doors for motor vehicles typically have a touch sensor assembly in the form of a wire harness encapsulated within an elongated housing that is located and attached along a length of the leading edge of the door. The wire harness can have two or more electrically conducting wires running parallel with each other and when an object comes into contact with the wire harness, an electrical resistance between the wires can be altered and afford for a signal to be sent to a controller located within the motor vehicle.
In order for the change in resistance to be communicated from the point of contact to the controller, the wire harness and/or additional electrical wiring extends from the elongated housing to the controller. In some instances, the wire harness passes through an aperture within a panel of the sliding door and the aperture has a bounding edge that can abrade, cut, etc., the wire harness. As such, a wire harness protector can be used to prevent the wire harness from being damaged by the aperture edge and to cover from view/eyesight a portion of the wire harness that extends between the elongated housing and the aperture of the panel.
Heretofore touch sensor assemblies have used an elastomer wire harness protector molded directly onto an elongated housing in order to cover the wire harness from view and/or protect the wire harness from the edge of the aperture. However, such assemblies have resulted in an improper fit between the wire harness protector and the aperture due to tolerances of the elongated housing, the leading edge of the sliding door, the aperture within the panel of the door, etc. The use of such an elastomer wire harness protector has also presented shipping problems since the touch sensor assembly with the wire harness protector must be shipped as a single unit and the assembly and/or protector can become bent, crimped, and the like, if not packed properly. Therefore, a touch sensor assembly having a wire harness protector that provides for increased tolerance between the assembly and the sliding door, and allows for easier shipping, would be desirable.